Silver Ounce 2011 Maternity, Coin from Belarus - detailed information

The Belarusian Rouble was introduced as the currency of Belarus in 1992, but the country initially issued no coins at all; circulation was served by banknotes instead.

In later years, Belarus became a large producer of commemorative coinage for the numismatic market, particularly gold and silver bullion coins and non-circulating legal tender. Their designs range from fairly commonplace to unique and innovative; themes range widely from "native culture and events" to fairy tales and pop culture topics not related to Belarus at all.

Large silver coins are issued in the "silver ounce" format and are usually denominated with a face value of 20 Roubles; between 2000 and 2016, these were of the "Secound Rouble" currency (ISO code BYR), which was demonetised after 2016 and replaced with the current "Third Rouble". The coins were issued at prices considerably higher than their intrinsic value, so are technically "Non-circulating Legal Tender" (NCLT) coins and not bullion.

This crown-sized coin is part of the "Family Traditions of the Slavs" series of beautiful silver coins devoted to the main ceremonies of the Slavic culture. Each coin presents a custom and symbol characteristic for an important period in the life of Slavs.

Maternity is the fifth silver coin of the series. The perfect symbol of love, kindness and beauty is the figure of mother with her child. Maternity as a subject always inspires artists across the entire world and across time. The woman shown on the coin is featured wearing traditional folk clothing, derived from the Slavic tradition. The costume is made of a shirt with a geometric pattern embroidered on the sleeves, and a vest with striped trimmed edges, going around the neck and along the sleeve cutting line; on her head a wimple or a headscarf. The central element of the obverse is the symbol of "The Nurturing Mother" in the shape of the Tree of Life or the Sacred Tree, symbolising eternal life and continued lineage. This ancient symbol, probably dating back to the matriarchy, is one of the best recognizable elements of old Slavic symbolism. Another symbol depicted on the coin is the bird which, according to Slavic mythology, brings luck, protects the home, ensures prosperity, and heralds the child's future happiness.

The issuer of the series is the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus and the producer and distributor is the Mint of Poland. The coin was issued in August 2011, in Brilliant Uncirculated grade only, boxed, with a Certificate of Authenticity in Belarusian and English.